Golding pledges to fix Portland scheme roads

NORWICH HEIGHTS, Portland:

Opposition Leader Mark Golding pledged to remedy the deplorable state of the roadway at Norwich Heights in Portland during a visit to that community on Sunday, where he also met with residents.

Golding, who earlier attended a memorable service for former Member of Parliament for Eastern Portland, Dr Lynvale Bloomfield, who was found dead at his Passley Gardens home in 2019, with multiple stab wounds, told residents that if the Peoples’ National Party (PNP) formed the next government, he would treat the bad road condition at Norwich Heights, which is a sub-division, as a priority.

“Generally speaking, scheme (housing scheme) roads in Jamaica are neglected. And we put a lot of money and emphasis on building highways, and we spend two or three decades building some magnificent roads, which is a good thing,” he commented.

He added, “But I believe time come to pay attention to the roads where people actually live and the roads that they have to drive on or traverse on a daily basis. Because it is no doubt a source of great frustration and expense when you have roads in a deplorable condition.

“So my commitment to you is when we next form the government, Operation Pride schemes that were unfinished, we are going to allocate resources to finishing them and scheme roads generally will be given priority under our government. I have visited many schemes around the place and they are plagued with terrible road conditions. And I think it is demeaning really, to residents that they have to live like this.” Golding said.

The Operation Pride project was initiated in 1994, under the P.J. Patterson administration, to provide solutions to the problem of squatting by making land available and affordable to the landless, members of viable communities, with everyone having security of tenure. It was with this understanding that the Operation Pride (Programme for Resettlement and Integrated Development Enterprise) was launched.

But concerns were raised by residents about the legitimacy of Golding’s commitment.One resident, Rupert Thomas, said, “Years go by and mi hear a lot of people talking. Opposition always come by and say a lot on things. We are not for that anymore.

“Things must be done different. Yes, I appreciate what you are saying, but so many times, everyone around here knows that, every Opposition have di real plan. When they come in office we can’t see dem. But I kinda hold you as a man to your word. I am looking to see we have some good roads,” he added.

Golding noted his concern, but reconfirmed his position saying:

“We have unfinished business as the Peoples’ National Party in relation to the Operation Pride schemes, because it was our concept and many people have benefited tremendously from it. But we have to finish the job and for me that will be a priority, because I want to say it took a couple decades to do it, but we did it,” he said.